The Eatwell Guide divides the foods we eat & drink into five main food groups. Try to choose a variety of different foods from each of the groups to help you get the wide range of nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.​

It's important to get some fat in your diet, but foods that are high in fat, salt & sugar have been placed outside of the circular image as they are not necessary as part of a healthy balanced diet & most of us need to cut down on these.

Unsaturated fats from plant sources, for example vegetable oil or olive oil, are healthier types of fat. But all types of fat are high in energy (calories) & so should only be eaten in small amounts.

On average, women should have around 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules) & men should have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). Most adults are consuming more calories than they need.

Find out how food labels can help you to choose between foods & to pick those that are lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar & salt from the NHS Choices Food Labels page.

Many foods, such as pizzas, casseroles, pasta dishes & sandwiches, are combinations of the food groups in the Eatwell Guide. 

With these meals, check the ingredients & think about how these fit with the sections on the guide to help you achieve a balanced diet.

The Eatwell Guide applies to most of us, whether we're a healthy weight or overweight, whether we eat meat or are vegetarian, & no matter what our ethnic origin. 

Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian on how to adapt the Eatwell Guide to meet their individual needs.

The Eatwell Guide doesn't apply to children under the age of two, because they have different nutritional needs. 

Between the ages of two & five, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide. 

Read more about babies, toddlers & young children's nutritional needs in the NHS Choices Your baby's first solid foods page.

1. Fruit and vegetables

2. Starchy foods

3. Milk and dairy

4. Protein foods

5. Oils and spreads

6. Less fat, sugar and salt

7. Water and fluids

Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day.

Most of us still aren't eating enough fruit & vegetables. They should make up over a third of the food we eat each day. Aim to eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit & veg each day. 

Choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced. (Remember that fruit juice and/or smoothies should be limited to no more than a combined total of 150ml per day.) Fruit & vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates. Choose wholegrain where possible.

Starchy food should make up just over a third of the food we eat. Choose higher-fibre, wholegrain varieties, such as whole-wheat pasta & brown rice, or simply leave skins on potatoes. There are also higher-fibre versions of white bread & pasta. Starchy foods are a good source of energy & the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.​

Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks and yoghurts). Choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options.

Milk, cheese, yoghurt & fromage frais are good sources of protein & some vitamins, & they're also an important source of calcium, which helps to keep our bones strong. Try to go for lower-fat & lower-sugar products where possible, like 1% fat milk, reduced-fat cheese or plain low-fat yoghurt.

Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat & other protein. Aim for at least two portions of fish every week – one of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel.

These foods are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Pulses such as beans, peas and lentils are good alternatives to meat because they're lower in fat and higher in fibre and protein, too. Choose lean cuts of meat and mince and eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages.

Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts.

Unsaturated fats are healthier fats and include vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils. Remember all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten sparingly.

Eat foods high in fat, salt and sugar less often and in small amounts.

These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream. They're not needed in the diet and so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.

Drink plenty of fluids, the government recommends 6-8 cups/glasses a day.

Water, lower-fat milks and lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count. Fruit juice and smoothies also count towards your fluid consumption but they contain free sugars that can damage teeth, so limit these drinks to a combined total of 150ml per day.